Bellingham man arrested for allegedly causing $20,000 in damages to marijuana grow facility
A Bellingham man is facing felony charges after allegedly breaking into a marijuana grow facility in the Sunnyland neighborhood and causing $20,000 worth of damage.
Israel Anthony Espinoza, 26, was charged with second-degree burglary and first-degree malicious mischief in Whatcom County Superior Court.
Espinoza is incarcerated in the Whatcom County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail. His arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 8.
Shortly before 7 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25, a man reported to Bellingham police that someone was inside his marijuana grow facility in the 2100 block of Lincoln Street. The man told police the facility was closed at the time and that he could see the man on a phone-based camera system, according to court records.
The owner told police he saw the man walking around the building with a flashlight and then saw him go inside, the records state.
When police arrived, they found a man, later identified as Espinoza, coming out the back door of the facility. When Espinoza saw the police, he allegedly went back inside, the records state.
Bellingham police surrounded the building and Espinoza was arrested around 30 minutes later, court records show.
Espinoza told police he was washing his shoes outside of the grow facility when he leaned against a door and it opened. Espinoza said he went inside because he thought the building was abandoned, court records state.
The owner estimated there was roughly $20,000 in damage and lost product inside the facility, the records state.
Espinoza was also arrested on felony charges related to a domestic violence incident that took place in early September where Espinoza allegedly violated a no-contact order and assaulted a woman known to him, records show.
